Coupling device for straps or webbings



May 11, 1965 c. P. MOLLA ETAL COUPLING DEVICE FOR STRAPS 0R WEBBINGS Filed Novi l, 1963 INV NTORS. CHARLES Mmm BY ANTHONY Aboe/Mm 32am/MQW@ HTTUR/VEY United States Patent O COUPLING DEVICE FOR STRAPS R WEBBINGS Charles P. Molla, Old Westbury, Long Island, and

Anthony Ladogana, Bronx, NX., assignors to Molla Incorporated, Westbury, Long Island, NY., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 320,665 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-20) This invention relates to coupling devices used for securing straps or webbings to frames of seat and backrest members of furniture of different types and kinds, wherein the frames are rectangular in cross-sectional form. More particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character defined formed from a single strip of material fashioned to form a wide channel portion for reception of the furniture frame and a reversely directed narrow channel portion for reception of the end of a strap or webbing and, wherein, one wall of the narrow channel portion is fashioned to securely grip the attached end portion of the strap or webbing.

The novel features of the invention will be best undery stood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters and, in which, the drawing is a sectional view through a frame portion of a piece of furniture illust-rating the arrangement of a strap or webbing coupling device thereon.

In the drawing, 1 represents a cross-section through a rectangular frame or rail of a seat or backrest portion of a piece of furniture. At 2 is shown a coupling device fashioned from a strip of material, preferably sheet metal, to form a wide channel portion 3, defined by parallel side walls 4 and 5 spaced and integrally joined by a crosshead 6.

The channel 7 is adapted to snugly receive the rail 1, as shown, and, when attached, the wall 4 terminates slightly below the upper surface 8 of the rail 1 and is slightly rounded, as seen at 9.

Integrally joining the wall in a rounded portion 10 is a supplemental wall 11 so spaced with respect to the wall 5 as to form the narrow channel 12 of the device, which channel is directed oppositely to the direction of the channel 7. The rounded portion 1t) protrudes slightly above the surface 8 of the rail 1, as shown.

The lower or free end of the wall 11 projects below the crosshead 6 and is fashioned to form a curved gripper 13 which, in attachment of the strap or webbing 14, firmly engages the webbing, as indicated at 15, where the webbing passes outwardly through the channel 12.

In use, the channel 12 is sutiiciently free to receive the end portion 16 of the webbing 14, after which, the wall 11, including the gripper 13, are forced inwardly in the ice direction of the wall 5 to securely x the end 16 of the webbing in the narrow channel. The webbing then passes around the walls 6 and 4 and over the wall 8 of the rail and extends beyond the device after its support upon the rounded portion 1t), as will be apparent.

In the present construction, the strap or webbing has been indicated as composed of plastic material. It will be understood that any type and kind of material can be used and the other end portion of the strap or webbing is fixed to a device similar to the device 2 shown.

With a structure of the type and kind under consideration, a simple and economical means is provided for securely coupling the end portions of straps or webbings as applied to furniture of any type or kind in forming flexible seat and backrest portions. In the use of the furniture, it will be apparent that the stress or strain applied to the strap or webbing will be taken up primarily by the rounded portion 10 which will have no shearing or cutting action upon the webbing employed.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A coupling device for securing a webbing to a support of rectangular cross-sectional form, said device comprising a strip of sheet metal having a wide rectangular channel portion defined by spaced parallel walls joined by a crosshead, a narrow webbing gripping channel portion, said narrow channel portion being formed by one of the rst named walls and a supplemental wall integral with and spaced outwardly from said one wall, the said one wall being of greater length than its complemental parallel Wall, said narrow channel portion opening in a direction opposed to the direction of opening of said wide channel portion, said supplemental wall of the narrow channel portion being of a greater length than the said one wall and having an end portion extending toward the said one Wall to form a webbing engaging gripper, and said device, when in use, having an end of a webbing fixed in said narrow channel by said gripper with the webbing lirst extending over said crosshead, then over the other of said first named walls of the wide channel and finally over the opening of said wide channel between said spaced parallel walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,613,416 1/27 Smith 24-84 2,271,393 1/42 Fulton 24-84 2,89%??648 8/ 59 Bright. 3,088,517 5/63 Schwartz et al 24-265 X FOREIGN PATENTS 460,985 l 1/ 49 Canada.

' DoNLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

